Playing card holder



Aug. 29, 1950 BQWARD 2,520,490

. PLAYING CARD HOLDER Filed July 30, 1946 Patented Aug. 29, 1950 UNITED STATES, PATENT.

oemce PLAYING oAnn-nonnna: Nellie Margaret Howard, Ramses, va. Application July 30, 1946,1SeriaLNm 6371M:

2 Claims. (Cl. 273 450) In playinggames. withcards; the player-may hold all cards. in one .or. both-hands. In either event one or both hands are required to retain these objects, whereas this invention eliminates the necessity of the use of the hands to hold the cards.

The reflection of the applicant as a trained nurse during the recent hostilities, and especially in the Pacific Theater of war operations, has greatly impressed her, since being discharged from the armed service of the United States, of the need for a device for holding cards, especially by players who have one or both hands missing.

Not only is this device of great assistance to handless persons; but anyone playing cards is relieved of the necessity for holding such cards with their hand or hands; thus freeing the latter for service elsewhere.

One of the objects of this invention is the provision of a card holder into which may be inserted a plurality of cards.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a holder provided with a shield for preventing an opposing player from observing the cards in said holder, and the particular card taken from said holder.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a holder adapted to be mounted in removable fashion upon a ball and socket base.

Other objects and features will more fully appear from the following description, and accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a view of the holder having cards inserted therein, and mounted on the base; and Fig. 2, a sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of Fig. 1, and showing a vertical sectional view and a dotted line tilted view.

Referring to the drawings, a holder I consists of a base 2, provided with a socket 3; a portion of which is formed by a segment 4 disposed in a groove in the base; said segment being secured in said groove to the base by a screw 5.

A ball 6 is slid into the socket through the segmental groove in the base and secured therein by said segment, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1. A lock-screw 1, is threadably mounted in the base in operative relation with the ball, and is adapted to exert pressure upon the ball to retard its movement.

Projecting from the ball is an axle 8 having a collar 9 secured thereto, and a platform [0, having a shield II is provided with an aperture 12 21. into. which axle; 8 is substantially disposed, and upon. which collar the platform is mounted. in pivotal fashion.

Throughout. the .lengthpf the; upper portion of the platform isdisposeda beveled groove l3, which hassecured. therein and in registration therewith; an angular flexible strip I4; provided with a centrally disposed channel 15 terminating in rounded edges as clearly illustrated in the drawings. Into channel l5 are adapted to be inserted cards Iii.

The device functions as follows: A player places his cards into channel l5; the finding of which is facilitated by the rounded edges on the angular strip. The cards placed in the channel by the player are usually separated into particular denominations, thus, all hearts Will be together, as will spades, clubs, and diamonds. By the provision of the shield or blind I I an opposing player can not see the cards behind the shield or blind; and can not observe from what part of the platform the card drawn was removed. The player, when leaving the game, may tilt his holder, as shown in Fig. 2; thus more certainly preventing an opposing player from observing the cards in the holder. If the player desires to use the holder without the base, it is simply lifted from the latter and placed upon the playing table, It will also be observed that the platform is .mounted upon the axle in pivotal fashion. The platform may be tilted in angular fashion with respect to the base, and the set-screw holds the ball in any position assumed.

The strip M is preferably made of felt or any similar material, and as heretofore stated, is

slidably mounted in the groove of the platform. The platform may be made in circumferential fashion, or straight, however, the circular type is believed to be preferable. It appears to be preferable that a tall arcuate shield be used whereby the shield shall extend substantially above the top edges of the playing cards l6, supported on the platform Hi. It is also preferred that the shield H and the card holding strip M be arranged in substantially concentric and in a suitably spaced relation from each other on the platform Ill. The spacing feature facilitates the placing of the cards 16 in the holder strip and likewise the removal of the cards therefrom without undue inconvenience relative to the shield H. The arcuate kerf or channel l5 in the yieldable strip It performs a useful function in that the cards I6 are slightly flexed when in the kerf l5 and thereby holds the cards [6 more firmly against accidental displacement than would be the case if the kerf was straight. In the latter case no flexing of the cards would necessarily take place.

Having claimed. is:

1. A holder for playing cards comprising a horizontal platform, an arcuate shield located and secured on said platform and extending upwardly therefrom, a card holding strip on said platform, said platform having an arcuate grooved portion therein arranged in suitably spaced relation from said shield and being substantially concentric therewith, said grooved portion and the lower portion of said strip being substantially dovetailed in cross section and the widest portion of said strip and the widest portion of said grooved portion defining their bottom portions respectively, said strip being removably fitted in said grooved portion and extending along the full length thereof, said card holding strip comprising a suitable length of yieldable material having a card receiving kerf therein defining rounded edges extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom to facilitate the flexing and placing of the cards therein, said shield extending upwardly a substantial distance above the cards to be used described this invention, what is therein, said kerf bein arcuate whereby the cards supported therein are in a slightly flexed condition and are thereby retained against accidental displacement.

2. The construction set forth in claim 1 in which the card receiving strip comprises fabric felt material.

NELLIE MARGARET BOWARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 221,514 'Burnham Nov. ,11, 1879 735,614 Stevens Aug. 4, 1903 1,076,850 Wedderburn Oct. 28, 1913 2,370,121 Bramson Feb. 27, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 24,386 Great Britain 1893 449,499 France Dec. 26, 1912 107,597 Great Britain July 2, 1918 

